There are lots of different orders within the Catholic Church, and they have slightly
different rules for how to be a nun. But while traditions, ceremonies, and rules of conduct
may differ from order to order, or convent to convent, there are some rules that almost
all nuns have to follow.
One of the most important things to note is the often-confused difference between a "sister"
and a "nun" - which is especially confusing thanks to the fact that nuns refer to each
other by the title "Sister."
According to Simply Catholic, though, a "sister" deals with outreach. They might work in healthcare,
or do community work like at soup kitchens — that type of thing. Or they may have more
typical sounding jobs, like working at a non-profit liturgical printing press, for instance. Either
way, Sisters usually live in a convent — a sisters-based residence that might contain
a chapel, individual rooms, and so on — and leave when necessary.
A "nun," on the other hand, lives in a monastery and pretty much never leaves. These nuns live
lives that are separate from the world, dedicated to meditation, and consecrated to God.
If you envision a Buddhist monk, or any other cross-cultural, universal idea of an isolated,
hermetic individual dedicating their lives to quiet study, introspection, and a focus
away from all things secular, then you've got a good baseline from which to work to
understand the rules nuns have to follow. In the case of nuns, they also believe they
serve a spiritual function, using their prayers as a constant entreaty and intercession to
the divine on behalf of humanity.
A modern nun's overall, basic schedule isn't too different from what it would have been
hundreds of years ago: get up, pray, eat, pray, clean a bit, read, work, have some conversation,
and so on. Every nun nowadays has to follow their order's and monastery's daily schedule.
Some are stricter than others, and some are more outgoing - outgoing enough that they
have websites explaining to the world what exactly it is that they do.
For instance, orders such as the Benedictines in Herefordshire, England, get up at 5 a.m.,
pray, eat, have free time, work in the garden, and so on. The Visitation Sisters of Philadelphia
have a similar routine, starting the day at 5:30 a.m. and engage in similar activities,
including arts-and-crafts projects and computer-based projects. The Carmelites of Colorado Springs
likewise do a lot of sewing and domestic activities, as well as bookkeeping and community correspondences
online. Interspersed within these schedules is the Liturgy of the Hours, a series of prayers
and services throughout the day, such as "lauds" (first service) or "compline" (last service).
And, of course, like the rest of us, they have to do regular chores, like washing the
dishes, or milking the cows.
"Every morning I take my cup of coffee to my cow and I squirt milk straight into the
coffee."
The general attitude of the entire proceedings is reverent and internal, or as St. Paul called
it in first Thessalonians, they, quote, "pray without ceasing." If you've ever heard the
word "mindfulness" — remaining appreciative of the moment, one's life, the world's interconnectedness
— then you've sort of got the idea, though mindfulness as a practice itself is of course
Buddhist in origin.
That takes us to the big ticket items that most people know, which are universal for
all nuns: the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
Nuns' vow of chastity gets a lot of attention — it's understandably difficult for most
folks to accept and imagine, as sexual relationships are prohibited, no matter how much desired.
Still, nuns have lots of other ways to express their love for their fellow human beings,
such as community service, prayer and devotional activities, and communing with the divine
in a more universal way. The phrases "married to Jesus" or "Brides of Christ" are often
invoked in this case.
A vow of poverty may be equally difficult to imagine in our capitalist world. But if
you've ever felt swallowed by the emptiness of a consumerist life and the hollow, unending
appropriation of meaningless goods, then the idea of living simply might sound appealing.
And that's what it really is - not a vow of being destitute, but rather one of not engaging
in excess. Pare down, dial it back. Own your own soap, of course, but detach yourself from
material things in lieu of spiritual things - which is a sentiment shared by numerous
other faiths as well.
And finally: obedience. Obedience to what? Well, to a life lived in imitation of Jesus,
of course.
Of course, following all these rules isn't for everyone. But for those who decide on
this particular life path, there's a sequence of steps that must be followed — a multi-year
application process — to ensure that would-be nuns are serious about the whole thing. There
are differences according to order (Benedictines vs. Dominicans vs. Passionists, and so on),
but according to Aleteia, the overall structure is the same for everyone.
Being an "aspirant" means that someone has formally approached an order and said that
they want to join. They continue to live amid society for another year or two while doing
outreach, projects, teaching, monitoring social media — whatever needs doing — with their
chosen community. A "postulant" has "formally moved in" to a monastery. But she's not allowed
to be called a "sister" and wears different clothing from nuns who have made their final
steps. This is supposed to be a time of intense inward focus that lasts maybe six months.
"Sister, have you considered the seriousness of what you're doing?"
"Yes."
A "novice" has been officially accepted and can start classes and training, take vows,
and possibly change her name. After this, there are ranks leading up to "fully professed"
nun, and eventually "mother superior," who's in charge of a monastery.
Some other rules nuns have to follow, as Kiwi Report says? Keep on your habit. No "luxury"
foods. And as of a 2016 papal instruction by Pope Francis: limit social media.
Now that might be the hardest vow of all!
Check out one of our newest videos right here! Plus, even more Grunge videos about your favorite
stuff are coming soon. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and hit the bell so you don't miss
a single one."